Survival in the big city

Nothing good comes of bad money. That's the lesson Raspberry Hill learns in Sharon G. Flake's newest novel, Begging for Change. In this sequel to her 2002 Coretta Scott King Honor Book, Money Hungry, Flake tells the story of young Raspberry, whose life revolves around money. It's not that she has much, it's just that money is the only thing that makes her feel safe and strong. But after her...

Feature by Michael Sims

For a book-loving child, nothing is more exciting than a row of unread volumes in a newly discovered fiction series. It may sound strange, but it's true: characters in books can become the most reliable friends in a young person's life. A century ago kids were reading the Boxcar Children. Then Tom Swift flew onto the scene with a new invention under each arm. Four generations have cut their...

Reinventing the world, one reader at a time

"It is nearly an impossibility for a Libra to write fiction!" says EsmÅ Raji Codell. "It's just decision after decision! It's pure invention, and you have to use so many different parts of your brain." But the beloved author has done it and done it well. Sahara Special, her new novel for young readers and her first foray into fiction, is both an engaging story and a hymn to change, written by...

Childhood memories warm the heart

Quick! Pick the object from your childhood that embodied warmth, safety and untrammeled flights of imagination. For Louise Erdrich, whose many books have drawn on her Ojibwa background, that certain something was a bulky, blue-enamel woodstove labeled The Range Eternal. No mere inanimate appliance, the cast-iron box was the source of unending bounty: improvised soups to warm winter days, hot...

The story of a not-so-perfect pet

If you were marooned on a deserted island with a toddler, what one book would you want? It's a good bet many parents would choose Margaret Wise Brown's classic bedtime story, Goodnight Moon, illustrated by Clement Hurd. Goodnight Moon has sold more than five million copies since its publication in 1947. In the last several years, a number of new books by Margaret Wise Brown have appeared like...

A hard-boiled crime story for kids

The beginning of this small-fry detective tale explains all: "My name is Jake Gander. I'm a cop. My beat: Storyville, a fairy-tale town where endings aren't always happy. My job is to rewrite them." Of course, most preschoolers have never heard of Sam Spade and have little clue about what comprises a detective story. Nonetheless, they're likely to be amused by Jake Gander, while their parents...

Giving kids some space

Have you ever met a child who doesn't get into everything? A child who isn't mischievous and curious? Of course you haven't. Kids have a way of getting into anything and everything. In Robin's Room, Margaret Wise Brown, author of such classics as Good Night Moon and The Runaway Bunny, captures the essence of a young boy whose curiosity gets the best of his parents.This laugh-out-loud picture...

Medieval intrigue and adventure

Sitting down to read a book by Avi is like visiting a wise and trusted friend; you know that whatever he wants to talk about, you'll come away informed, entertained and looking forward to your next meeting. Avi's imagination roams far and wide, and his award-winning books have earned him millions of young fans. His last effort, The Good Dog, dealt with the world of dogs and men in a...

The evil teenage genius returns

If your word-hungry sixth grader has reached the saturation point on Harry Potter, or perhaps never really liked the straight-arrow boy magician to begin with, here's a fact that will make him or her sit up and take notice: the world's most dangerous criminal mastermind is only 13 years old! That's right, Artemis Fowl, who was introduced in Eoin Colfer's popular book of the same name, is the...

Living on a wing and a prayer

Rosemary Wells is famous for the comforting, cuddly characters Max and Ruby, two young rabbits who get in and out of all sorts of trouble. In Wingwalker, she covers more serious territory, telling a tale in which faith and an open mind weave magic, and things heretofore unimaginable are, in fact, possible. Reuben is a second-grader in Ambler, Oklahoma, in the less-frantic era of the 1920s. At...